Countries that exist wholly or partially within geographical Europe

[ the numbers in square brackets refer to notes at the end of this table ]

No.

Country

Situation

1

Albania

100% within geographical Europe

2

Andorra

100% within geographical Europe

3

Austria

100% within geographical Europe

4

Azerbaijan

[1] Area within Europe depends on interpretation of borders

5

Belarus

100% within geographical Europe

6

Belgium

100% within geographical Europe

7

Bosnia and Herzegovina

100% within geographical Europe

8

Bulgaria

100% within geographical Europe

9

Croatia

100% within geographical Europe

10

Czech Republic

100% within geographical Europe

11

Denmark

[2] Europe, plus island territories: NA

12

Estonia

100% within geographical Europe

13

Finland

100% within geographical Europe

14

France

[2] Europe, plus island/mainland territories: NA, SA, AF, OC

15

Georgia

[1] Area within Europe depends on interpretation of borders

16

Germany

100% within geographical Europe

17

Greece

[3] Europe, plus islands closer to geographical Asia

18

Hungary

100% within geographical Europe

19

Iceland

[4] West Atlantic island, considered 100% within Europe

20

Ireland, Republic of

100% within geographical Europe

21

Italy

[2] Europe, plus island territories: AF

22

Kazakhstan

[1] Area within Europe depends on interpretation of borders

23

Latvia

100% within geographical Europe

24

Liechtenstein

100% within geographical Europe

25

Lithuania

100% within geographical Europe

26

Luxembourg

100% within geographical Europe

27

Macedonia, F.Y.R. of

100% within geographical Europe

28

Malta

100% within geographical Europe

29

Moldova

100% within geographical Europe

30

Monaco

100% within geographical Europe

31

Montenegro

100% within geographical Europe

32

Netherlands

[2] Europe, plus island territories: NA, SA

33

Norway

100% within geographical Europe

34

Poland

100% within geographical Europe

35

Portugal

[2] Europe, plus island territories: AF

36

Romania

100% within geographical Europe

37

Russian Federation

[5] approximately 20-25% within Europe; 75-80% within Asia

38

San Marino

100% within geographical Europe

39

Serbia

100% within geographical Europe

40

Slovakia

100% within geographical Europe

41

Slovenia

100% within geographical Europe

42

Spain

[2] Europe, plus island/mainland territories: AF

43

Sweden

100% within geographical Europe

44

Switzerland

100% within geographical Europe

45

Turkey

[6] 3.05% within geographical Europe; 96.95% within Asia

46

Ukraine

100% within geographical Europe

47

United Kingdom

100% within geographical Europe

48

Vatican City

100% within geographical Europe

Notes

There is no universal agreement as to where the eastern border of Europe is defined between the Kara Sea, north of Russia, and the Black Sea entrance to the Bosphorus, dividing Istanbul in Turkey. The three most common definitions are:

from Kara, on the Kara Sea, following the water divide of the Ural mountains south to the source of the Ural River; following the Ural River to the Caspian Sea; following the water divide of the Caucasus mountains between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea.

from Baydaratskaya Guba, on the Kara Sea, following the eastern side of the Ural mountains and then the Ural River south until the Mugodzhar Hills; following the Emba River to the Caspian Sea; following the Kura River from its mouth on the Caspian Sea, through the Surami passage to the Qvirila River; following the Qvirila River to its mouth by Poti on the Black Sea.

from Baydaratskaya Guba, on the Kara Sea, following the eastern side of the Ural mountains and then the Ural River south until the Mugodzhar Hills; following the Emba River to the Caspian Sea; from the Caspian Sea through the Kuma-Manych Depression to the tip of the Sea of Azov, joining with the Black Sea.

In the both of the first two definitions a significant physical area of Kazakhstan is situated with the borders of Europe. In the first definition, only relatively tiny areas of Georgia and Azerbaijan are located within Europe; the second definition allows for approximately 70% of Georgia and 45% of Azerbaijan.

The third definition, proposed in 1730 by Philip Johan von Strahlenberg and adopted by Tsarina Anna I of Russia, does not acknowledge the Caucasus mountains as the point of tectonic plate collision between the Arabian plate moving northwards with respect to the Eurasian plate.

Integral parts of the national territory of these countries consists of islands or mainland departments or enclaves that are situated within the continental shelf of another continent, or are otherwise geographically closer to another continent than mainland Europe. Abbreviations used: NA = North America, SA = South America, AF = Africa, OC = Oceania.

From the Black Sea coast, the geographical border of Europe passes through the deepest parts of the Black Sea to the mouth of the Bosphorus; on through the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles to the Aegean Sea; through the deepest parts of the Aegean Sea to the Mediterranean and around to the Straits of Gibraltar. The line through the Aegean Sea divides the Greek Islands between continental Europe and continental Asia.

Europe ends in the west at the Atlantic Ocean, although Iceland - a volcanic island that emerged in the North Atlantic Ocean between Europe and North America - is considered wholly European.

See point [1] - the relative proportions of Russia situated in Europe and Asia depend upon which border definition is used.

The geographical boundary between Europe and Asia within Turkey is clearly and consistently defined as passing through the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles.

Countries culturally and/or politcally close to Europe but not within its geographical borders